Haiti Earthquake Relief

I thought you might like to know that the Grand Charity has made an emergency grant to support relief work following the appalling earthquake in Haiti. The details of this are appended, and further support is likely when relief needs are more clearly known.

It is becoming clear that this is a disaster on a scale comparable to that of the Pacific tsunami a couple of year ago, where support by Freemasons for those affected was swift and substantial. It may be that some Fortitude Brethren would like to make a personal donation to the relief effort in Haiti. If you wish to do this through the Grand Charity please let me know and I will be pleased to explain the procedure.

I‘m sure that we are all moved by the dramatic news and those who are suffering, and at the same time filled with admiration for those who are working hard to distribute aid in the most difficult circumstances.

Sincerely and fraternally,

Alan

£30,000 issued for Haiti
Earthquake Relief

Following
the devastating earthquake which took place in Haiti on Tuesday 12th January
2010, the President of the Freemasons' Grand Charity has approved two
emergency grants totalling £30,000.

The 7.3-magnitude quake, Haiti's worst in two centuries, struck at
1653 local time (2153 GMT) on Tuesday. The epicentre was within 10 miles of the
centre of the densely-populated capital, where around one million people live,
more than 50,000 people are feared dead.

A grant of £20,000 has been awarded to The British Red Cross, who have pre-positioned relief supplies for 3,000
families in Haiti. These emergency supplies consist of kitchen kits, shelter
kits and tarpaulins, personal hygiene kits, blankets and containers for storing
drinking water. Red Cross volunteers in Haiti are currently assisting the
injured and supporting hospitals who do not have enough capacity to deal with
this emergency. The most urgent needs at this time are search and rescue, field
hospitals, emergency health, water purification, emergency shelter, logistics
and telecommunications.

A group of experts in disaster response, health in emergency and
logistics have been sent to support the Haitian Red Cross in the relief efforts
and to begin to coordinate international assistance from members of the
International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as well as other
organisations. In addition, a Red Cross team will lead a damage assessment
together with the Humanitarian Aid Office of the European Union.

Plan International have also been granted £10,000 in support of their
efforts in dealing with the immediate aftermath of the disaster. Plan's
priorities are assisting children and their families and getting people into
safe accommodation wherever possible, as well as working with survivors to help
ease their psychological trauma.